Article
Will your brand colours work in print? Why we built a colour checker
A recent call with a client prompted a familiar question: will our new brand colours work in print?
They are a digital-first software firm, working through a rebrand. Their colours had to look right on screen, but they also needed to understand what would happen when those colours appeared on paper. Was ordinary full-colour printing enough, or was it worth specifying separate Pantone™ spot inks?
It is a sensible question to ask before placing an order. It is also difficult to answer by looking at a laptop screen alone. That conversation, and similar questions we hear from customers, led us to build our free print colour checker.
A quick way to see what might change
Choose an image or PDF and compare it with an approximate print preview. You can drag a slider across the design or view both versions side by side. For a PDF, move through the pages individually.
There is also an option to highlight colours that may not match in print. The pink stripes are a guide, not a change to your artwork. The percentage shows how much of the page is flagged, including white margins in the calculation. It does not tell you how severe a colour change will be.
You do not need to understand colour profiles or print terminology to use it. Choose a paper type, take a look and, if something concerns you, ask us.
Why a bright screen colour can look softer on paper
A screen makes colour with light. Printing uses ink on a surface. Some vivid colours you can see on screen cannot be matched exactly with the standard cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks used in full-colour printing.
Paper matters too. The same design can look different on smooth coated paper and a more absorbent uncoated stock. A change does not necessarily mean a poor result, but it is better to know what to expect.
Does that mean you need Pantone spot colours?
Not automatically. A spot colour uses a separately specified ink rather than relying only on a mix of the four standard process inks. It can be useful when a particular brand colour needs close control, but the available printing method, paper, quantity and budget all matter.
Choosing a Pantone reference in a design file does not, by itself, mean the job will be printed with a separate spot ink. That needs to be agreed as part of the print specification.
Our checker does not simulate Pantone spot inks or decide whether they are worth the extra cost. It helps you identify where to have that conversation. If a key brand colour changes noticeably in the preview, send us your original artwork and tell us what you are planning to print.
A useful first check, not a promise
The preview is an estimate. Your screen, the chosen paper and the production method all affect the result. It is not a printed proof or a full artwork check, and it cannot confirm that a PDF is ready for production.
Your file stays on your device while the tool works. We do not receive the artwork, and you do not need an account. You can save a preview for reference, but send your original artwork when ordering.
For marketing teams used to working mainly online, this is a practical place to start. Check your design before ordering your next print project. If the colour is important, we can discuss the right specification and whether a printed sample would help.